Retaining wall



J. R. SILVER RETAINING WALL Dec. 17, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.29, 1958 ATTORNEY Dec. 17, 1963 J. R. SILVER 3,114,244

RETAINING WALL Filed Dec. 29, 1958 IN V EN TOR. JOSEPH R. SILVERATTORNEY Dec. 17, 1963 J. R. SILVER 3,114,244

RETAINING WALL Filed Dec. 29, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 8

INVENTOR. JOSEPH R. SILVER BY z\ \\$i W ATTORNEY United States Patent3,114,244 RETAINING WALL Joseph R. Silver, 3342 /z S. Main St., Akron,Ohio Filed Dec. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 783,349 6 Claims. (Cl. 61--49) Thisinvention relates to a retaining Wall, and in particular relates to aprefabricated wall structure for retaining soil or water, or both.

Heretofore, retaining walls of the character described have beenconstructed of stones, bricks, concrete and the like. Water retainingwalls, however, generally have been of poured concrete. Stone or brickwalls were expensive to build, and often failed or collapsed due topressure of the baclcfill on the land side or due to accretion byconstant pounding of water from the opposite side. Under the bestconditions, where pouned concrete was used, expansion and contraction ofthe backfill caused cracking, and necessary repair or replacement wascostly. Moreover, heavy equipment necessary for handling the prior wallmaterials often caused damage to landscaping, drainage tiles, andbuilding structures.

One object of the present invention is to provide a retaining wall whichis of economical, light-weight construction, which will have a minimumtendency to sink in its foundation soil to cause damage to the wall, andwhich is adapted to be fully installed without use of special liftingand other equipment normally required for building a wall, of concreteor natural stone blocks for example.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retaining wall of thecharacter described which may simulate the appearance of solid stone,brick, or concrete walls, but which can be installed by persons havinglittle or no skill in building walls or the like, and thereby reducingthe labor cost for the installation to a minimum.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved wall structureof the character described which is adapted to be effectively anchoredagainst damaging movement or displacement due to heavy pressure of soilbackfill, especially after heavy rain falls, or due to heavy pounding ofWaves.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall structure of thecharacter described which is substantially self-adjusting with expansionand contraction of land backfill retained thereby, as with freezing andthawing within the backfill, and which, therefore, is not subject todamage due to cracking of parts of the Wall, as often caused by suchexpansion and contraction to prior art walls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall structure of thecharacter described, which is provided with an improved protective caphaving resilient bumper means adapted to absorb the impact of boatstying up at the wall, and also having means for deflecting waves awayfrom the wall to prevent the backfill from being washed away.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following briefdescription and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view illustrating a typical installation of aretaining wall embodying the features of the invention.

stakes. channels of each stake 13, serves as effective means for FIGURE2 is a front elevation thereof, as viewed along the line 2-2 of FIGURE1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-section, taken substantially onthe line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view, on a smaller scale than FIGURE 3, of oneof the anchoring wedges used in the Wall installation.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged horizontal cross-section, takensubstantially onthe line 5-5 of FIGURE 2, illustrating a combined anchoring stake andpanel joint in a straight portion of the wall.

FIGURE 6 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 5, but illustrating how theanchoring stake may be adapted either for formation of a bend in thewall, or for use of wall panelling of increased thickness.

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal cross-section, corresponding to FIGURE 5, butillustrating a combined anchoring stake and panel joint for use at anoutside corner of the wall, but also adapted for use at an inside cornerthereof.

FIGURE 8 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of a mold for forming thefluid-impervious laminated wall paneling of the invention, and .with thelaminations of a wall panel correspondingly schernetically arranged.

Referring generally to FIGURES 1 to 7 of the drawings, and to FIGURES 1to 3 in particular, the numeral 10 designates a retaining wall orseawall, adapted to support a backfill 11 of earth or soil at the innerside there of, and to retain water at the outer side of the same,

such as the water of a lake, stream or pond W. The wall may include aplurality of rectangular panels 12, 12, of water-imperviouscharacteristics, and supported to have the planes thereof inclinedrearwardly at a slight angle to the vertical, between anchoring stakes13, 13, Which also serve as sealing joints for adjacent panels, in amanner to be described.

Each stake 13 may be of metal, such as aluminum, or hard plastic, suchas vinyl polymer or phenolic resin materials, formed as by knownextrusion methods to have thin longitudinally extending, outer, innerand intermediate walls 14, 15 and 16, respectively, and a longitudinallyextending, central connecting web 17, at right angles to said walls,defining outwardly oppositely dis- "posed channels 18, 18 of one width,and outwardly op- 45 positely disposed inner channels 19, 19 of greaterwidth.

Stake 13 is adapted to be forcibly inserted or otherwise anchored in theground to substantial depth below a low ground surface L, such as a lakebottom and to have a predetermined substantial length thereof abovesurface L, at a rearward inclination to the horizontal :(see FIGURE 3).A plurality of stakes 13, so anchored in requisite laterally spacedrelation present pairs of inwardly oppositely disposed vertical channels18 for reception of laterally opposite ends of a panel 12. The panelends maybe securely bonded in said channels, as by suitable self-settingplastic adhesive material, such as VinyhStik (manufactured by B.Goodrich Co.), indicated at 20 in FIGURE 5, and which is applied beforethe backfill 11 is packed in behind the panels 12. Serrations 22 oninner surfaces of the channels 18 and 19 provide a stronger bond betweenthe edges of the panels and the anchoring A T-shaped portion, defined bythe innermost anchoring the stake in the backfill along the full lengththereof (see FIGURES 3 and 5).

In situation where a bend is required in the retaining wall it), thestake 13 may be inserted in the ground to have the wide channelsoutermost, as shown in FIG- URE 6, in which instance the extra spaces inthe channels are filled with the self-setting plastic material 20. Theprimary purpose of the wider channels 19, however, is for use of thickerpanels 12, as indicated in chain-dotted lines in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, showing an anchoring stake 23utilized for connecting two panels 12 to form an outside corner in thewall 10, the edges of connecting panels being embedded in saidself-setting adhesive within channels 24 and 25, which open in thedirections of right-angularly disposed planes of the connecting panels.

The same stake 23 is adapted to be utilized in a similar manner forforming inside corners in the wall. By providing channels in stake 23which are wider than the thickness of the panels 12, the angles of theplanes of the connecting panels may be varied considerably.

For covering or capping the top of the wall 10, generally U-shaped capsections 26, of extruded aluminum, or durable plastic material such aspolyester resin reinforced with glass cloth, may be provided. Each capsection 26 may have an upwardly arched thin, concavoconvex upper wall27, having an integral downwardly extending anchoring flange 28, adaptedto extend into the backfill 11, as best shown in FIGURE 3. The forwardedge of the cap section may be formed with a longitudinally extendingflat, downwardly presented face 29, and a thin rearwardly off-set flange3i providing a forwardly presented fiat face 31 at right angles to thewall 29, to define an angular seat or recess for reception of the upperedge of a panel 12, which is bonded to the cap as by means ofself-setting adhesive 20.

The cap sections 26 may be protected by a cover 32 of molded thinelastic material, such as butyl or neoprene rubber, or resilient vinylplastic, having an appropriate non-slip or other design on the uppersurface thereof. For firmly attaching the cover 32 to the caps it mayhave, on the under side thereof, a plurality of integral T-shaped ribs33 received in complementally shaped grooves 34 in the walls 27 of thecap sections, it being understood that the cover 32 may be in segmentsof different lengths than the cap sections, to locate the joints 32a ofthe covers intermediate the joints 26a of the cap sections 26 (seeFIGURES 1 and 2). If necessary or desirable, the cover units 32 also maybe cemented to the cap sections. Longitudinally extending passages 33aat the narrowest portions of the ribs 33 facilitate tight but yieldingreception of the ribs in the grooves 34.

The forward edge of each cover unit 32 may have thereon a hollow,downwardly extending flange 27a, the inner face 27b of which yieldinglyengages the upper portion of the panel 12, or the bonding material 20 onthe same. For deflecting waves of the water W forwardly of panel '12,the forward face 27c of the flange 27a converges toward the plane of theforward face of the panel. This deflection of waves prevents the samefrom washing out the backfill behind the wall. Hollow flange 27a alsoserves as a resilient bumper for boats docking against the wall. Ifnecessary, flange 27a may be further held in position, as shown inFIGURE 3, by means of self-tapping screws 38a inserted through theflange, the upper portion of panel 12, and flange of cap 27.

For locating and anchoring the lower edges of the panels 12 with respectto ground surface L, elongated, tapered stakes 35, best shown in FIGURE4, may have stepped recesses 36 and 37 provided at the upper endsthereof. The panel edge is received in one or other of the recesses 36and 37, depending upon the thickness of the panel (see chain-dottedlines in FIGURE 4). The stakes are adapted for similarly locating andanchor ing the lower edges of the rear flanges 28 of the caps 27 atspaced points by providing narrow recesses 38 inwardly of the inner faceof recess 37, to receive said flanges 28, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Each panel 12 may include a central core 39 of substantially rigid orousmaterial, such as plywood, which is made water-impervious by laminatingthereon layers of certain materials which have bonding affinity for eachother and for the wood core. Referring particularly to FIGURES 3 and 5to 8, such laminations, for example may include an inner layer 40 ofthin (200 to 300 cps.) viscosity resin such as those of the polyester,or epoxy resin families on both sides of the core and saturating thewood to a substantial depth. Superimposed on the inner layers 4%), oneach side of the core, may be a reinforcing layer of glass-fiber orwoven glass cloth 41, on which, in turn, there is attached an outerlayer of resin 42 of thick (350 to 500 cps.) viscosity, such as those ofthe polyester or epoxy resin families. The layers may, for example, beformed about core 39 in a sectional mold (see FIGURE 8), having upperand lower sections 43 and 44, respectively, and in the presence ofsuitable external heat, cured to provide a high-impact, glass-fiber(woven or matted) reinforced coating of polyester or epoxy resin aboutthe core, said coating becoming an integral part of the core due to theinner layers 40 being impregnated into the pores thereof, and due to thetwo layers of resin material at) and 42 integrally uniting throughinterstices of the reinforcing layer 41. The united polyester or epoxymaterials of the layers 43 and 42 are formed about all edges of the coreand into the pores of the core, by the molding process, so that thefinished panel is completely water and fungus resistant. For furtherincreasing the water-resistant quality of the panel 12, layers 45, 45 ofacrylic fiber cloth, such as Dynel (by Union Carbide and Carbon Corp),may be provided over the layers 42, 42 in the molding process,preferably with edges of the material in substantial overlappingrelation around the edges of the panel. If desired, a suitable design,simulating the appearance of natural stone or bricks, or of concrete,may be accomplished in the molding process, either by means of designconfiguration in the mold surface or by incorporation of sheets ofdecorative or figuratively printed porous paper or the like which issaturated or impregnated with polyester or epoxy resin material of layer42.

In use of the invention, as for building a sea wall, stakes 12 aredriven into the previously prepared or levelled ground surface L,preferably while the water W is at a level below surface L, the stakesbeing predeterminately spaced in alignment and projected into the groundL to have the upper ends in desired horizontal alignment. Any number ofthe Wedges 35 may be driven into the ground L intermediate adjacentstakes 13, as shown in FIGURE 2, to have the bottoms of recesses 37, forexample, in horizontal alignment at or below the surface L. Next, thepanels are inserted in the inwardly oppositely disposed recesses 18 ofadjacent stakes 13, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 5, and downwardlyinto seating positions in grooves 37 of the wedges 35. When each panelis properly fitted the lateral edges are caulked or bonded in thechannels 18 of the respective stakes 13, by means of the bonding filler20. Corners and angles are similarly formed, as described above inconnection with FIGURES 6 and 7, respectively. At this point the spacebehind the panels 12 may be filled in, so that the stakes 13 will befurther anchored in place by fill dirt packed around the T-shaped innerportions of the same with the stakes 13 (or 23) and the panels 12 firmlyin place, and the backfill 11 piled behind the same to a suitable levelnear the top edges thereof, the cap section 26 may be installed inlateral edge-to-edge relation, to have the upper edges of the panelsseated in the angular seat portions formed by faces 29 and 31, andadhered therein by bonding material 20, as shown in FIGURE 3, and withthe rear anchoring flange 28 embedded in the packed backfill 11 andengaging in slots 38 of previously positioned anchoring wedges 35. It ispossible to manipulate each cap section into final position and to workthe backfill material from one or other of the ends of the cap sectionsto fill all voids under the same and behind the corresponding panels.

The resilient cover units 32 are adapted to be positioned as shown inFIGURE 3, by inserting the rib portions 33 in the grooves 34 from endsof the respective cap sections as they are installed in the wall 10,preferably to have at least a portion of each cover unit overlapping ajoint between adjacent cap section 26.

The complete retaining wall is adapted to be quickly installed to have awide variety of shapes and forms, and yet utilize relatively smallnumber of shapes and sizes of parts. All of the parts are adapted to beeconomically manufactured in quantity, and being of lightweightconstruction does not tend to sag and break. Moreover, the improvedwall, being highly water impervious, and thereby highly resistant tointernal freezing and cracking, will have an extremely long term ofmaintenance-free use.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit thereof, or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A retaining wall structure of the character described, comprising aplurality of panels of water-impervious characteristics, means forsupporting said panels on the ground in edgewise upright relation incontinuous succession forming paneling adapted to receive and supportbackfill material behind the same and to have uppermost edges of thepaneling extending continuously, substantially rigid capping meanscoextensive with said paneling and having forward seat means for seatingdownwardly against said uppermost edge portions of said paneling, saidcapping means having downturned portions rearwardly spaced from saidforward seat means for anchoring reception to substantial depth in thebackfill material, said capping means having attached to the upperportions thereof covering means of rubber-like elastic material, theforwardly presented portion of said covering means having an integralforwardly protruding, resilient bumper means extending lengthwisethereof along the forward portion of the capping means.

2. A retaining wall structure of the character described, comprising aplurality of panels of water-impervious characteristics, means forsupporting said panels on the ground in edgewise upright relation incontinuous succession forming paneling adapted to receive and supportbackfill material behind the same and to have uppermost edges of thepaneling extending continuously, substantially rigid capping meanscoextensive with said paneling and having forward seat means for seatingdownwardly against said uppermost edge portions of said paneling, saidcapping means having downturned portions rearwardly spaced from saidforward seat means for anchoring reception to substantial depth in thebackfill material, said capping means having attached to the upperportions thereof covering means of rubber-like elastic means, theforwardly presented portion of said covering means having forwardlyprotruding resilient bumper means extending lengthwise thereof along theforward portion of the capping means, said bumper means having a forwardface downwardly converging toward the forward portions of the panelingas for deflecting waves of water forwardly of the wall.

3. A retaining wall structure of the character described, comprising aplurality of panels of water-impervious characteristics, means forsupporting said panels on the ground in edgewise upright relation incontinuous successive forming paneling adapted to receive and supportbackfill material behind the same and to have uppermost edges of thepaneling extending continuously, substantially rigid capping meanscoextensive with said paneling and having forward seat means for seatingdownwardly against said uppermost edge portions of said paneling, saidcapping means having means thereon for anchoring reception tosubstantial depth in the backfill material, said capping means havingattached to the upper portions thereof covering means provided withforwardly protruding portions lengthwise thereof and having forward faceportions downwardly converging toward the forward faces of the panelingas for deflecting waves of water forwardly of the wall.

4. A retaining wall structure of the character described comprising aplurality of panels of water-impervious characteristics, means forsupporting said panels on the ground in edgewise upright relation incontinuous succession adapted to receive and support backfill materialbehind the same and to have uppermost edges of the paneling extendingcontinuously, substantially rigid capping means coextensive with saidpaneling and having forward seat means for seating downwardly againstsaid uppermost edge portions of said paneling, said capping means havingdownturned anchoring portions rearwardly spaced from said forward seatmeans for anchoring reception to substantial depth in the backfillmaterial, said means for supporting including elongated stakes ofwater-impervious material adapted to be driven into the ground andhaving oppositely disposed seat means for seating reception of adjacentedges of the panels, said seat means of the stakes including a pluralityof channels at least one of which is of substantially greater width thanthe thickness of said panels for selective reception of edges ofadjacent said panels in selectively different angular relationshipswithin a substantial range of angles during installation of the panelsand the edges of the panels being embedded in self-setting plasticadhesive material within the respective channels.

5. A retaining wall structure of the character described, comprising aplurality of panels of water-impervious characteristics, means forsupporting said panels on the ground in edgewise upright relation incontinuous succession forming paneling adapted to receive and supportbackfill material behind the same and to have uppermost edges of thepaneling extending continuously, substantially rigid capping meanscoextensive with said paneling and having seat means for seatingdownwardly against said uppermost edge portions of said paneling, meansfor anchoring the upper portions of the paneling within the backfillmaterial, said supporting means including at least some stakes havingtwo aligned pairs of laterally oppositely disposed channels forselective reception of edges of adjacent said panels at installation ofthe paneling, with the portions of at least some of said stakescontaining the other pair or channels defining outturned flanges adaptedto be anchoringly embedded in backfill material.

6. A retaining wall structure of the character described, comprisingrelatively thin rectangular paneling of waterimpervious characteristic,means for supporting said paneling in upright position to receive abackfill behind the same and to have a top edge of the panelingextending horizontally, capping means of rigid material and havingforward seat means for seating downwardly against said top edge, saidcapping means having means thereon for anchoring reception in thebackfill material, said capping means having thereon a covering ofrubberlike elastic, and means being provided for attaching said coveringto said capping means, said means for attaching said capping meansincluding a plurality of longitudinally extending keyhole-shaped groovesin said capping means and complementally shaped tongues on said coveringand received in said grooves, said tongues having longitudinallyextending passages at the narrowest portions thereof adapted to beyieldingly compressed by the complementally narrow portions of thegrooves.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gilpin June 4, 1867 Upson Ian. 17, 1911Langworthy Nov. 13, 1923 Weber Feb. 11, 1930 Cahill Mar. 13, 1934 UpsonJune 23, 1936 Westrope Jan. 12, 1943 Morris Jan. 2, 1945 8 Nehcr et a1.Mar. 22, 1949 Malmstrom Aug. 21, 1951 Vogel May 1, 1956 Elmendorf Apr.22, 1958 Reid May 10, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria July 10, 1906 GermanyJune 30, 1915 Canada Oct. 28, 1953

1. A RETAINING WALL STRUCTURE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING APLURALITY OF PANELS OF WATER-IMPERVIOUS CHARACTERISTICS, MEANS FORSUPPORTING SAID PANELS ON THE GROUND IN EDGEWISE UPRIGHT RELATION INCONTINUOUS SUCCESSION FORMING PANELING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORTBACKFILL MATERIAL BEHIND THE SAME AND TO HAVE UPPERMOST EDGES OF THEPANELING EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY, SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID CAPPING MEANSCOEXTENSIVE WITH SAID PANELING AND HAVING FORWARD SEAT MEANS FOR SEATINGDOWNWARDLY AGAINST SAID UPPERMOST EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID PANELING, SAIDCAPPING MEANS HAVING DOWNTURNED PORTIONS REARWARDLY SPACED FROM SAIDFORWARD SEAT MEANS FOR ANCHORING RECEPTION TO SUBSTANTIAL DEPTH IN THEBACKFILL MATERIAL, SAID CAPPING MEANS HAVING ATTACHED TO THE UPPERPORTIONS THEREOF COVERING MEANS OF RUBBER-LIKE ELASTIC MATERIAL, THEFORWARDLY PRESENTED PORTION OF SAID COVERING MEANS HAVING AN INTEGRALFORWARDLY PROTRUDING RESILIENT BUMPER MEANS EXTENDING LENGTHWISE THEREOFALONG THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE CAPPING MEANS.